Ankle-joint for artificial limbs



2 Sheets-Shee t l Jan. 12, 1932. c. E. GIRTON ANKLE JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS Filed April 9, 1929 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

CHARLFs CIRTON Jan. 12, 1932. c. E. GIRTON ANKLE JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed April 9. 1929 N INVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 12, I932 UNITED CHARLES emison, or ometmmws, ome

(ANKLE-JOINT For Application jfiiea A-pr'il 9,

i Another object ofth-is invent-ion istopr'ovicie en ankle-13' oint Whereint'h'e entire Weight of the wearer 1S pieced upon anti hrietion bearlngs or bails.

Another object of this invention is to pro- 1 vide device of this class wherein one race '1 means described in the-e-c'o'ompanying an inner face 1-8 and an outer race 19 be- "on opposite e'ndsof the :shaft 31 and are pro 100 of the ball bearings moves With "the ifoet member while-the other race moves with the leg member.

These and other objects are attained the drawings inwhi'ch: 1

Fig. 1 is a side elevation 'of an fartifi'cial limb having embodied -the rein 'a device ofthis invention. r v

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertiea l section through the ankle-jointas on line i2:-2 0f Fig. 8 is efragmentary veitiealseetion through the ankle-joint taken stt right-angles to Fig. 2 as on iin'e' 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig; e? is a fragmentary sectionthi ou-g'h another portion of theankle-jeint asfin liiie 1=4ofFig .2. Fig. 5 isa fifegr me-n tairy seetienal View simiiar to Fig.3 showing a 'siightniodifiaitibn. F-igfih is a perspective "ViW of the clamp for-lining a detail eftheinventien. I Fig. '7 is a seetiena l view ois'eme ef th component parts of the improved ankle-"joint forming details of thisinventien.

Throughout the drawings similar re feren'ee characters are used to indieete siniiler or 'ee-rre'sp'onding parts. I 1 v The reference ohztrwtei' 1 0 indieahewth leg or tebi'z eta-1'1 artifieial iin -b having pivotal-l'y's'e'oured thereto was by an kl'e join-t 5a foot member 11. The amide-joint 12-06mprises a pair of substantially :eup shaped sleeves 14 and 15 having a bore 16 extending axially therethreugh. These s'ieeves 14: and 1-5 are spaced froin one' another by-e-nti fri etion or ball bearings 17 l-OGa-td-abOll-t midway he'tween the latter sides of the "toot'infeinber I '11. The anti-fri-etio'n hearing 17 comprises ARTIFICIAL LIM'Bs i929. "sea-n1 in. 353,712.

ft-Ween which the anti-friction hearings "or balls 29 ere position-ed. As illustrated, the adjacent faces ofthe sleeves 14 and 1-5 are previded with hosses and 61 extending towzwd one enoth'er' end in abutment with the eppe'si'tesides of the inner i-aeelS; It shon i-d he noted, however, that-the races may be e'i dissimilar Widtiytha't is, th-e 'en'ter rzme 1-9 would "he si ig htly narrower than the inner race 18. "This would result in the inner face being; in n hutm'ent' with the base of thesieeves end the enter race being -*spmed somewhat theTefe-em; I

The-outer race 19 is pressed into a ring *menihei' 62 and secured thereto against nela- 'tive movement Such as by ewesiting, Welding er-any other method. A groove 21=is :foi'me'd 'inthe outer surface of the ring 62 for receiving; a U ho1t 22,whieh bolt ispi'ovided'wi th "ELI'IDS'Q ell-@124; The ring 62 andtiihdlt 21 are sweeted together to prevent relative movement then-e035. The 23 321 124 ate 'p-xovidedtvith suitable threads and extend inemheril. 'Theends efthe minis izemd =24 t'e'fniinate in e reeess '26 formed in the hese ofth-eieet Ll. suitable foot Iete QTpe-sses (We-r the-elic ts eftheaafins 23 end 24 llies -against the h p-per end 280i the 'i e'cess- 26. Nii ts 29 ai e thi eaclediy received by'th'e hymns in terinedia te theieet 1:1 and the cup :shegped "sleevesl-an d 15 is a olatmi plate or .topzpieite whose function and esci iption will be "presented litter.

Extend'ng through-the 'aii gn'edhofes 16 in "the hearing I7 as Welles the anti-friction hearings 32 e;nd'-'33 me in'oimt'ed. The sleeves le end '15 are each p rovid'ed with ar'boss 34 sleeves into the sleeves which engage one these hearings aresiighfly smaller indium eter than the bore of the sleeves and are therefore spaced from the inner 'waliofi'sai'd sleeves. caps 37erethrea'd'ediy received "extending from. the=hase of the 'cup shaped 7 vided with bosses 38 extending toward the bosses 34 and in engagement with the inner race 35 for clamping said inner race between said bosses 34 on the base of the sleeves 14 and 15 and the bosses on the end caps 37. The caps 37 also force the cup shaped sleeves 14 and 15 toward one another thereby clamping the inner race 18 of the anti-friction bearing 17 to the sleeves so that said inner race moves with the sleeves 14 and 15. These caps 37 are provided with suitable openings 39 for receiving the prongs of a wrench or other suitable tool.

The sleeves 14 and 15 are provided near their opposed ends with threaded perforations 40 and 41 for receiving the threaded end of studs 42 and 43. These studs and 43 extend through suitable bores provided in the lower end of the leg 10 and terminate in the hollow part 44 of the leg 10. The upper ends of the studs are also threaded for the reception of suitable nuts 45 which abut the plate 46 within the hollow part 44 of the leg 10. The ends of the studs 42 and 43 received inthe threaded pe forations 40 and 41 engage the shaft 31 for holding same in place and prevent relative movement of the sleeves 14 and 15 about the axis of the said shaft 31.

As noted above, a clamp plate or top plate 30 is provided intermediate the foot 11 and sleeves 14 and 15. This plate has extending from it lugs 47 and 48 which extend through openings 49 and 50 formed respectively in the sleeves 14 and 15 in alignment with antifriction bearings 32 and 33. Lugs 48 and 49 are provided with substantial points 63 and 64 having a cradle 65 between them. The outer races 36 are received in the cradle 65 and engaged by the points or projections 63 and 64 clamping them in place. It has been found that this construction effectively clamps and holds the outer races for move- .ment only with the foot member. Also the points 63 and 64 prevent any lateral-movement of the foot member relative to the leg member.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that the inner races 35 and 18 of the anti-friction bearings 32, 33 and 17 are secured together to move with the sleeves 14 and 15 while the outer races 36 and 19 of the anti-friction bearings 32, 33 and 17 are clamped by the lugs 47 and 48 and U bolt 22 to the foot member and move therewith. In this way a true anti-friction or ball bearing ankle-joint is provided wherein all the weight and movement is on the anti-friction bearings or balls. It will be noted that the openings 49 and 50 are sufficiently elongated to peanit the necessary movement of the foot member 11 relative to the leg or tebia member 10.

In the event of wear on the outer races 36 of t .e bearings 32 and 36, which is very problematical, it is only necessary to loosen the members enough to be enabled to rotate said outer races 36 a fraction of a revolution to bring a new portion of same within the eradle 65 and points 63 and 64 and reclamp the members together.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, an eye bolt 51 is utilized in lieu of the U bolt 22. in this construction the outer race 19 is also sweated into or otherwise secured in a ring member 62 provided with a groove 21. The eye bolt 51 has pressed into it the ring member 62 forming an integral structure.

Suitable means may be provided to prevent foreign matters from working into the ball bearings of the ankle-joint and thereby causing undue wear on the balls or races. This means may take the form of semi-soft washers, such as felt, which are provided ad- 1' acent each side of the bearings. As shown in Fig. 2 washers 66 surround bosses 38 on each end cap 37 and lie between said end caps 37 and bearings 32 and 33 to prevent any dirt, grit or the like that may enter the cup shaped sleeves from finding its way into the bearings 32 and 33. and lie between the bases of the cup shaped sleeves and the other sides of bearings and 33 to prevent foreign matters from getting into the bearings through the elongated openings 47 and 48. Likewise washers 68 are utilized for the bearing 17 and surround the bosses 60 and 61 and lie adjacent each side of said bearing 17 to exclude all foreign matter therefrom that might find its way between the upper and lower members of the limb. The washers 66, 67 and 68 also form a means to prevent escape of grease, lubricant or the like from the bearings, in which grease they had been packed when the ankle-joint was assembled. It should be noted that these washers in no wise interfere with the operation of the mechanism.

It is believed that the foregoing description fully discloses the improved ankle-joint, and it is to be understood that numerous modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ankle-joint for artificial limbs comprising anti-friction bearings, the hearing having inner and outer races, means for securing the inner races to one of the mem bers of an artificial limb, a clamp plate contacting the other member of the artificial limb and secured thereto, and means on said plate for securing the outer race of the bearings.

2. In an ankle-joint for artificial limbs the combination of a shaft, opposed cup shaped sleeves slidably received by the shaft, antifriction bearings within the sleeves, an antifriction bearing intermediate 4 the sleeves each of the bearings comprising an inner and Washers 67 surround bosses 34 an outer race, means surrounding the second bearing and extending through one member of the artificial limb for securing the outer race to the member, means within the sleeves for securing the inner race to the shaft, and means for clamping the shaft in position and with the other member of the artificial limb.

3. In a device of the class described the combination of a pair of sleeve members, an anti-friction bearing intermediate the sleeves having an inner and an outer race,

means extending about the outer race and secured to said outer race, said means passing through the foot member of an artificial limb and securingthe outer race to said foot member, and means for clamping the inner. race between the sleeves.

4. In an'ankle-joint the combination'of a pair of cup shaped sleeves each comprising a base and a boss on each base, an anti-friction bearing within each sleeve comprising an inner and an outer race, the inner race of each bearing contacting with a boss in each sleeve, each sleeve having an elongated perforation in alignment with the anti-friction bearing, means for clamping each inner race against its respective boss, a shaft extending through the sleeve and inner races, studs for securing the sleeves relative to the shaft and said sleeves to the leg member of an artificial limb, and a plate carried by the foot member said plate having lugs protruding into the elongated perforation in the sleeves for clampa ing the outer races of the anti-friction bearings to the foot member.

5. In an ankle-joint the combination with anti-friction bearings, sleeves for receiving the anti-friction bearings, each bearing comprising an inner and an outer race, means for'clamping the inner races to the sleeves and securing the sleeves to the leg member, of a plate secured to the foot member and having lugs thereon for clamping the outer races to the said foot member for movement therewith.

6. A plate clamping member for anti-friction ankle-joints conforming substantially to the form of onemember of an artificial limb and comprising alug extending therefrom, said lug having a pair ofpoints and a cradle between the points, the cradle conforming substantially to the periphery of the antifriction bearings and the points engaging and clamping said bearing to prevent axial movement thereof.

7. In an ankle-joint the combination of a pairof opposed cup shaped sleeves each comprising a base and a boss on each side of the base, an anti-friction bearing intermediate theopposed bosses on the sleeves, an anti-friction bearing within each sleeve, each bearing comprising an inner race, said inner 7 races contacting the bosses on each sleeve and means for forcing the sleeves toward one another clamping same into an integral unit and clamping the inner races between the bosses so that they move with the sleeves;

8. In a device of theclass described the combination of a pair of opposed cup shaped sleeves each comprising a base and an elongated perforation, an anti-friction bearing member of an artificial limb and to move therewith as a unit.

9. In a device of the class described the. combination of a pair of opposed cup shaped sleeves each comprising a base and. an elongated perforation, an antl-frictlon bearing between the opposed bases of the sleeves, an

anti-friction bearing within each sleeve and spaced therefrom, each bearing having an outer race, the outer races of the bearings within the sleeves being in alignment with the elongated perforations therein, means for clamping the outer races to one member of an artificial limb and to move therewith as a unit, and means adjacent each side of the bearings to exclude foreign matters there-V from.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 27th day of March, 1929.

CHARLES E. GIRTON. 

